Mississippi State baseball beat by Missouri 7-6 in walk-off fashion, drops series

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Mississippi State baseball team fell to Missouri 7-6 on a walk-off home run to right field by senior Josh Day in Sunday’s rubber match at Taylor Stadium.

The Bulldogs (25-20, 9-12 SEC) led 3-0 after one inning of play before Missouri (24-17, 7-14 SEC) scored the next six runs. MSU scored two runs in the sixth inning and one in the seventh to tie the game, but Day wasted no time in the bottom of the ninth, hitting an opposite-field walk-off home run to right field.

MSU outhit Missouri 14-9 and was led by graduate student RJ Yeager and freshman Hunter Hines, who both finished with three hits, a home run and two RBIs. Junior Kamren James finished with two hits, including a home run, while both senior Luke Hancock and sophomore Lane Forsythe also finished with two hits.

Redshirt junior Luke Mann led the Tigers with three hits, including a home run, and Day finished with two hits.

Sophomore pitcher Cade Smith started for MSU and worked 4 ²⁄₃ innings while allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits. Freshman Pico Kohn then pitched a scoreless inning before junior KC Hunt (2-2) entered in the sixth inning. Hunt was charged with the loss after allowing the walk-off home run.

For Missouri, sophomore pitcher Austin Troesser started and allowed three runs on three hits with one strikeout and two walks in one inning. Sophomore Carter Rustad worked the next 4 ¹⁄₃ innings and allowed one run on six hits while striking out three batters and walking one. Senior Austin Cheeley allowed two runs on four hits in an inning pitched before sophomore Ian Lohse (2-2) pitched the final 2 ²⁄₃ innings.

In the top of the first inning, James hit a one-out home run to center field before Hancock singled to right field. After a flyout, Hines hit a two-run homer to right field to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.

After a scoreless second inning, Mann hit a one-out home run to right-center field in the bottom of the third inning. After that, sophomore Trevor Austin drew a walk and Day singled. Junior Torin Montgomery then reached on a fielding error to load the bases before Austin scored on a fielder’s choice to cut MSU’s lead to one at 3-2.

A groundout began the bottom of the fifth inning before a walk was issued to Montgomery. Graduate student Fox Leum then singled to center field before a wild pitch scored Montgomery. Sophomore Ross Lovich singled to left field and junior Ty Wilmsmeyer hit a three-run home run to left-center to give Missouri a 6-3 lead.

The Bulldogs answered with two runs in the top of the sixth to draw within one at 6-5. Forsythe hit a one-out single through the left side and Yeager hit a two-run home run to left field.

In the top of the seventh, Hines hit a one-out double down the right-field line and senior Brad Cumbest hit a double of his own to tie the game at 6-6.

In the bottom of the ninth, Day hit a leadoff home run to give Missouri a series win.

The Bulldogs will now return home to host Florida in a three-game Southeastern Conference beginning Friday at 7 p.m. CT at Dudy Noble Field on SEC Network.